It was Only a Matter of Time
by Verthril
Summary: It was an accident waiting to happen, fate can only be tempted so long when the two of the worlds foremost Telepaths live in the same house. A routine upgrade sparks off two people getting to know another in the most intimate way possible when Logan and Jubilee suffer having their psyches swapped. Lucky for Logan he has Rogue to help him along the way. Non-cannon.
1. Chapter 1

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made from this work.

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"I wonder if that's ever happened to us?"

Looking to her roommate, Rogue borrowed the look Logan made infamous and stared at Kitty. Currently she was sprawled across Bobby's lap, across from whom sat John having called dibs on the recliner while Pete lounged out on the floor between them all doodling. The episode of the show they were enjoying had just used a classic trope of the cast's minds being thrust into each others bodies leading to problems and hilarity.

"You mean that?" Rogue asked pointing to the set.

"Yeah, I mean between the Prof and Doc Grey we have two of the most powerful telepaths in the world. Sounds just like an accident waiting to happen." Kitty explained between a few jellybeans.

"Wouldn't we remember?" Bobby asked as he joined the conversation.

"Telepaths remember? They'd probably make us forget. I mean seriously, what would you do if you woke up in Rogue's body? And...actually don't answer that."

"You could do whatever you want with my body." John added with a wink to Kitty.

"Castration, got it. Glad I got your approval St. John."

Snickering and laughing, Rogue and Bobby looked to their third wheel slash musketeer to try and apologize for how put out he looked. Pete appeared oblivious, but that he was eavesdropping was evident from how his pencil was laid down on his pad.

"So you seriously think that might have happened to us?" Bobby was looking to Kitty daring her to back it up with evidence.

"I don't know, the thought of someone taking my body for a ride would be a huge violation, but on the flip side I mean...it would be kind of exciting to test drive someone else."

"You could touch." Bobby said to Rogue.

"I want to touch you but not through someone else. Heck if I wanted to do that I could probably just ask Doc Grey to borrow her powers fer a bit 'n ask for a volunteer." Rogue huffed, just tracing her glove clad finger across Bobby's lips.

"You see, that right there, that is a no win situation for me because if I ask for a volunteer from the audience I just get painted wanting to kiss them." Bobby said teasingly to his girlfriend.

"Then I'd just have to pick the volunteer." Rogue said rather huskily as she joined in the game.

"No dudes, or anyone I gotta call Miss. Please." Bobby begged.

Ignoring the new round of sexual frustration, innuendo and fantasy that had broken out between that one couple, Kitty looked to see John still eyeing her in that way that full of _Ew_ and _Creepy_.

"I'm getting a soda, anyone else need anything? Coffee, Tea, Water, you name it I'll get it!"

Taking the orders and rushing off to the kitchen, she had two coffees, a water for Pete and two cokes for herself and John to get. Rummaging through the fridge, she heard the rattle of condiments that announced someone using the sub-basement elevator. The loud steps she heard were familiar but...off. Looking over the door she saw Logan, or rather a good facsimile because he was smiling, something he only did when enjoying a cigar or perving on Doc Grey. And maybe sharing a bit of quiet time catching up with Rogue.

"Quit that, you'll give me nightmares."

"Sorry Kit."

Muttering and getting back to looking for a coke, something else was tugging on her ear for attention as she set the two cans of soda down with a bottle of water before getting down to brewing a pot of coffee. Water in, grinds topped up and the button pressed, she looked back to Logan.

"What did you call me?"

Somewhere in all her thought Kitty realized she must have missed the elevator sinking back down into the sub-basement because there was the familiar rattle of glassware as it came up again. Except this time she recognized the girl who rushed into the kitchen. But it wasn't so much a rush as a murderous driven stalk, that and Jubilee was chewing on an unlit cigar.

"Unless ya want me to walk in there and show everyone yer tits, get back here with my body and haul ass for the basement!"

Watching the scene play out and not having the faintest idea what was going on because that reasonable part of her mind was hitting refresh to keep getting 404, file not found, Kitty froze at the sound of a zipper. Jubilee looked to Logan just holding a cigar between her fingers and daring him if her raised eyebrow was any indication.

Seemingly calling the bluff or going for broke, Logan treated the both of them to a sight Kitty swore she wouldn't forget even at the hands of a telepath, the majesty that was what many ladies and most girls around the school wondered about. Jubilee stalked off to the den to carry out her threat and maybe sometime later Kitty would admit to having heard Rogue scream a loud and clear _What the Fuck Jubilee!_? But that was all just white noise at that moment.

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"What the holy heck happened?!" Rogue snarled channelling her inner Wolverine.

"Logan and Jubilee were helping the Professor with Cerebro." Jean supplied.

The Professor was laid out upon a bed with various drips, sticky diagnostic things and singed eyebrows that hinted to what his hair might look like...if he had any. The accused were off on a bed, a disturbing sight to see Logan kicking his heels back and forth made no less so by Jubilee chewing on a cigar scowling.

"Uh, aren't they a little uh, you know...under uh...?" Kitty began.

"Qualified? Yes, well...actually Logan was talking with the Professor as he was running a diagnostic. Jubilee was helping the Professor by replacing a bank of electronics in a place that no one else could reach without serious down time. Something of course went wrong." Jean confessed.

"She is squirmy." Bobby added.

"So they're...?" Rogue asked, pointing to the two and crossing her arms.

"Linked, switched. I tried to reverse it, but it felt as if someone was trying to force my eyes out my nose." Jean confessed, just a hint of red telling of a nosebleed.

"And he's alright isn't he?" Rogue asked looking to the Headmaster of the school.

"I would say, well, in layman's terms the lights are on but nobody is home. His mind is off on the astral plane and he will have to find his way home. I believe that somehow Jubilation and Logan are his tether back to his body." Jean admitted with a wince.

"So, this lasts until he wakes up...which we have no idea when that will be?" Bobby summarised.

"Uh, Doc Grey? Can you give Logan a lesson on my lady bits? Ya know, hygiene and that kind of stuff?" The apparent Logan asked pointing to a very surly looking Jubilee.

And then everything just became awkward to the Nth degree.

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"Okay dude, do you even manscape? It's a jungle down there!"

Day two started off to waking up to find out he was still trapped in the body of a sixteen year old girl that delighted in finding unique nicknames for him as well as not being one iota scared of his threats. Having to suffer their morning shower down in the gym locker room was the first thing he was going to Chuck to burn out of their collective memories once this whole fiasco was over with.

"I know I'm going to regret asking this, but what the hell are you talking about kid?"

Every time he talked with her voice was just nails on a chalkboard that reminded him of all the times she did her impersonations of him. Seeing his own mug look down at him sporting the kind of surprise he recognized too much as her, he grit his teeth down against the straw he'd been chewing on. Cigars were out, and really he didn't feel like a smoke, too bad there was something to be said for an oral fixation.

"Ya know, take the clippers and clean up the hedges? Get some curb appeal? Magnificent as you are hung, letting the lawn go wild really knocks some points off."

Now having two things to get burnt out of his memory, Logan started stalking ahead to the kitchen needing a big mug of coffee and something greasy to eat. Hearing a noise he recognized, he turned sharply and glared at her.

"Stop skipping in my body!"

"...okay."

"Never thought I'd say this, but we gotta go do some shopping. I can't go another day dressed like this." Logan as Jubilee growled, sounding too much like a petulant teenager.

"Oh I know, your wardrobe needs a massive overhaul." Jubilee as Logan cheerily agreed.

"I don't have a wardrobe."

"Yeah, saw that. No man should own that much flannel or muscle shirts."

Wondering if Jean or Scott would okay slipping a little something in his coffee, it probably wouldn't take much to take the edge off this whole thing with how tiny the kid was. Kitty had bragging rights over an important inch that didn't label her as the shortest student among those the same age as her.

"Can we just get through breakfast without you embarrassing me?" Logan asked as he turned on his very real shadow.

"Long as we're going shopping, sure. Mums the word."

Walking on into the dining hall where the breakfast buffet was set up, immediately all eyes were on them as they joined the line. Piling up a plate of bacon, sausage, biscuits and hash browns, he made the mistake of seeing what Jubilee was going to force down his gullet to see waffles, fruit salad, Jello...

"Why do they even have Jello at breakfast?"

"There's always room for Jello...and it goes awesome on waffles. Raspberry for the win!"

"I'm glad I heal fast." Logan as Jubilee muttered taking a walk to the teachers table.

Ororo and Jean were trying to hide their smiles as they watched him walk up while likely sneaking peeks as Jubilee took him for a walk to go sit with her usual group. There was plenty of confusion going around the lunch room and that he ignored as he took his usual seat.

"Um, Mister Summers?" Sam asked in his genial southern drawl.

"Yes Sam?"

"Why is Logan eating with us and Jubilee is up with you?"

A wave of murmured agreement went around the dining hall, and at that Logan looked to his peers wondering just what the hell was going on himself. Looking to his own body, he gave the kid props for living up to her end of the bargain but the mimed zipping of her, his lips was a little unnecessary.

"There has been an accident with the Professor, he is resting and should be fine in a few days. Unfortunately Jubilation and Logan were with him at the time and have had their psyche switched." Jean announced to the student body.

"Then, Mister Logan is Jubilee?" Sam asked with a look to a man he held much respect for.

And there it was, all the chaos and embarrassment he had hoped to avoid and now that shopping trip was sounding even better if just to get outta the school. Hunkering down to eat his breakfast, if there was one thing he and the kid had in common it was an appetite and as for her probably a wooden leg because his usual plate of breakfast went down a treat.

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"Uh dude, what're you doing?"

"Exactly what it looks like." Logan growled from the driver door of the car.

"Um, yeah thought that. Problem being I don't have my drivers license."

Rubbing eyes that weren't his and hissing, he slammed the door and stalked around to the passenger seat to climb in. With a choice between Kitty and Rogue because he had helped both pass their tests, he pointed to Rogue with dangled keys.

"If I hear a zipper while yer back there, I will and I swear shave yer head." Logan threatened with a glare to his own body through the rear view.

"Party pooper." Kitty muttered.

"Wait, did you show Kitty his dick?" Rogue asked after a sudden slamming of the brakes.

"Well he flashed my tits at you guys, I mean...I'm never gonna be able to stare Pete in the eyes again." Jubilee as Logan muttered.

"St. John was there too ya know right?" Rogue pointed out, taking a moment to adjust her mirrors again and let the shiver that went down her spine fade.

"So what? He's kinda cute. But Pete is just puppy dog cute, you know, innocent and I just can see him avoiding me from now on so I don't remind him what he saw."

"This is going to be the longest drive of my fucking live." Logan growled grinding his palms against his borrowed eyes.

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"Where are you going?"

Rubbing his eyes and trying to find some patience that was in short supply, he looked to Rogue and found a smile for her. They were in the usual department store he did most of his shopping for clothes and he knew just where he was going.

"Men's wear."

"Okay, thought so. Problem is, if you want to find something that's gonna fit you probably got to go to the boys section."

"Yer right, I mean the fact that I'm havin' ta look up ta you should have been a clue. Sorry Darlin'." Logan admitted as he let himself be led off to go get a few things to see him through the days ahead until this whole nightmare was over with.

"So, whaddya need Sugah?" Rogue asked, just browsing at some items and trying on a hat in passing.

"Boxers, Jeans, some T-shirts, maybe a couple flannel shirts in case it gets a touch chilly. Guess some boots that fit. Ya know, clothes that'll let the kids know it's me."

"Uh, no offence hun, but yer just gonna make Lee look like a bishi lumberjack." Rogue giggled.

"Do I even wanna know?"

"Uh, you know those boy bands you hate? Kinda like that, you know, pretty boy. Not gruff."

Turning on Rogue and looking up at her to see her snickering only to realize he must look exactly like Jubilee trying to look imposing, he had to admit the last thing he wanted to do is make the situation worse.

"Well what the hell should I do then babe?"

"Uh, well, boxers are fine. She could probably just use 'em for sleep wear when yer done with them. Lets find ya some jeans and maybe just spruce up your look a bit. Oh here, try this on. Cowboy hat."

So began his shopping trip wondering just what the heck Jubilee was doing with her own out in the mall proper running along with her very own wingman of sorts.

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"He's gonna kill you."

Walking through the mall, already they had learned to play up being father daughter after a few weird looks from the security. Shopping had been more successful than either imagined with a motto of _Go big or Go home_.

"What, I got him like loads of digits? Next time he needs a hook up he just has to call. And I mean if he doesn't like the make over he can just shave his head like he was threatening to do to me and it'll be back in five minutes flat." Jubilee huffed very un-Logan like.

"You got highlights." Kitty pointed out sipping her Orange Julius.

"Yeah, so? They're just blonde and not the purple highlights I wanted. He looks hotter now. Totally gotta find a bathroom to go hit up and get changed before we meet back up with them."

"Actually, why don't you do that now. There's a photo booth over there. We can get old school and get something to remember this by." Kitty said with a nod off to the aforementioned photo booth.

"K, I actually gotta go anyways. You do not wanna know what it was like when I woke up today, I totally know what they mean about drain the lizard now. Strangely enough kinda enjoyable but I was seriously wondering..."

"Lee, TMI, seriously. There's things I wanna know about Logan's lizard, that's not one of them."

"Then ya don't wanna know about his morning wood right?" Jubilee asked to instantly have her attention.

"Okay, we gotta remember that while I'm almost eighteen I look sixteen and you currently look like a thirty-five fittie. Lets try and not get Logan arrested alright?" Kitty muttered noticing some weird looks from the passing by shoppers.

"Point. Be back in ten."

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"Not bad babe. I don't hate it."

Dressed in an over-shirt sporting a classic rock tee, the jeans were the boys equivalent of his own favoured brand of Levi's. In lieu of his usual cowboy boots she had urged him to try a pair of Chuck Taylor's that he might just have to give a whirl once he got his own damned body back. Topping it off was a straw cowboy hat that was just the finishing touch. They'd even run over to pick him up a pack of toothpicks to see him through the days ahead until he could have a smoke again.

"Lee might even like it. Now lets just find out what she found ta make her time rolling as you a bit more bearable." Rogue said with a laugh as they walked on through the mall.

They had the rest of his shopping between them, just enough to see him through a few days but if it lasted any longer than that she promised he could throw his stuff in with her laundry.

"Ya know, the mall ain't so bad when I don't gotta smell all the damned perfume o' every passing chick or hear all that crappy canned music like I'm bustin' out a walkman." Logan admitted as he walked along with her.

"Ipod, they're called iPods now hun. Hey, you hungry? I mean, that's one thing that always got you and Lee together on these excursions was a burger. Ya might be able to order your own even."

Truth was the food court was normally the last place he'd go with all those clashing aromas of the grab bag of over or undercooked food of questionable quality. Usually he'd just treat them to a nice little joint he knew just to avoid it, but now and again his own hunger got the better of him. The mention of food was enough to have him wonder just what Jubilee did with all those calories.

Heading on down to the food court and following her lead, they skipped the usual burger chains and found on that offered at least a flame grilled patty. Eyes used to prowling around bars for threats or just maybe the nights fun started noticing how too many punks were looking at him and Rogue when the horrific realization hit him. They were looking at Jubilee, whom he was currently stuck as, in a way that he might check out some single looking ladies at the bars.

"Is this what it's always like?" Logan whispered, feeling every kind of stupid for having to do it on tippy toes.

"What?" Rogue asked utterly oblivious as she waited in the queue.

"All these little limp dick punks undressin' ya with their eyes."

Her blush was her answer right along with a quick look around to notice several tables of boys with eyes for them alone. Feeling a growl rise, it was pathetic sounding and a reminder that he couldn't just gut them. The problem was his hands were itching, screw that not even itching but felt as if they were on fire.

"Logan..." Rogue whispered.

Staring down at his hands, little arcs of lightning were dancing along the finger tips of hands that weren't his. The more riled he got the worse it got, even cramming his hands into his pockets didn't do anything for it.

"Lets go to the washroom, I'll call Lee!" Rogue hissed, hooking his arm and dragging him off bodily.

At seeing the rounded stick figure in a skirt he jerked back and it got even worst. Rogue was calling for him to get his ass in and finally he followed feeling a right pervert. It wasn't that he was modest, but there were just some places a fella didn't go.

"Get in, get in!"

Standing in a stall together with Rogue still trying to get a hold of Jubilee or Kitty, the whole nightmare was just weighing down on him realizing it wasn't his powers he had anymore. He had whatever the kid was packing and he didn't know a damned thing about it.

"Jubilee, oh my god! Logan's just like, I don't know! His hands look like they're shooting out static and...it's sparking and...yeah. Tell him to calm down? Do you know who you're talking about? Okay, okay I'll try. God."

"I'd be calm if I could have a god damned smoke." Logan muttered as he took a seat on the toilet, parking his arse on the top shelf with the lid down.

"Well, you can't smoke and neither can Lee." Rogue said trying to find a bit of calm herself.

"Figured that, smelt her in my room few months back to find my box a little light. Guessin' you girls learned your lesson?" Logan asked as he stared at the light show sparking off his borrowed hands.

"Uh, well Kitty puked, Lee just let hers burn as...and I quote, manly incense, and I...kinda liked mine. Thinking maybe someday when I'm old enough ta buy my own I might enjoy the odd one occasionally." Rogue admitted having been caught red handed.

"Bad habit ta get into kid." Logan whispered.

"Well, it's my choice to make when I'm old enough but I'll take that under consideration. Heck, worse case I could always just go borrow a bit o' ya now and again ta make sure I don't got any regrets with it." Rogue said a bit airily, just tweaking his nose with her gloved finger to prove her point.

Smirking at the truth of that and liking her gumption, she was a gal that knew her own mind and had the smarts to make her own choices. She'd make a hell of a lady someday, just shaking his head and wondering what kind of a woman she'd grow into. Already she was a beauty that had all the boys looking and the food court was proof of that enough.

"Take what ya need, I'm there fer ya." Logan said feeling a smile that wasn't his, just a bit too cheerful as he saw from the hazy reflection in the stainless steel.

"Thanks, I like that. And...looks like ya calmed down."

Taking his hands in hers, or her hands in hers as she thought with a chuckle, Rogue looked up and shook her head seeing Logan showing through from another troublemaker at the school.

"So, while we're on the subject o' learning experiences. Whatever became o' that twelve pack that went missing from my fridge." Logan asked, holding her hands and thinking it strange how they so easily enveloped his own, quite the change.

"Uh...ahem, well. I had four, Lee had six believe it or not, and Kitty didn't like her first. But from an experience with a bottle of vodka that I will plead the fifth on, Jubilee is a huggy drunk and Kitty is kinda an angry, well more an opinionated drunk." Rogue whispered in their little conspiracy.

"And you?"

"I dunno, I didn't really like the vodka that much. Was strange, kinda just had a hankering for a nice rye whiskey that I blamed on that bit of you I got up in here."

"Guess I know what ta do fer a few of your birthdays." Logan said with a wink.

"Few?" Rogue asked.

"Well, Quebec ain't that far and it's only eighteen up there. Most o' the rest o' the homeland is nineteen. By the time ya get to the right stupid old age of twenty one down here you'll be an old hand for that birthday."

The hug was welcome and only mad awkward for how small he felt against her, just doing his damned to fight the urge to give her a little peck on the cheek like he usually did. The kid he was running around in didn't have his healing, and after that bit of trouble he just had he didn't want to find out what her southern fried sash and gumption would do to whatever Jubilee was running with.

"Think we should go face the music babe?" Logan asked having calmed down plenty, feeling right agreeable and ready to suffer all the pukes eyeing them all up.

"Just remember, stay calm. Whatever she did to you, it's just clothes, hair...and maybe some makeup." Rogue said with a giggle at the last.

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"Woo, burgers! I'm starving and I had a three quarter pounder at the food court!" Jubilee as Logan cheered.

Pulling up to their usual stop, Rogue parked off a ways and ran in with Kitty to get the burgers. She needed a bit of gossip time and for once she didn't have to worry about Logan eavesdropping to look smug whenever he heard something he liked.

"So?" Kitty asked filling the smug quota as they stood in line.

"He...doesn't look bad. Logan hates what she did to his hair, but...I gotta say he looks good." Rogue admitted with a glance off to where Jubilee was sitting with Logan, or...vise versa as it appeared.

"You got no idea. I mean Lee has moves, she was just flirting with all the sales ladies. I got worried when she disappeared with one in a dressing room." Kitty whispered.

"I call bullshit." Rogue said with an exaggerated sniff.

"Okay, maybe it was the other way around, and I made that part about the dressing room up even if that one lady looked like she wanted to join him, her...uh...Lee. But she got him serious digits. Between you and me it's kinda getting old with that whole flirting up Doc Grey deal he has going on." Kitty admitted, stepping up to the empty place as the line moved along.

"That's...weird and interesting at the same time."

Leaving the conversation for after their orders, it was all the usual, souvlaki for them with a Greek salad and a heart attack on a bun for Jubilee and Logan along with onion rings. With milkshakes for the three, Logan always got a water. Rushing back out to the car with their box of bagged orders, they were treated to an interesting sight. Jubilee and Logan just...talking...completely normal and without the biting remarks the two usually communicated by.

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"Okay kid, I gonna lay my cards down on the table. You don't bullshit me when it comes to the stuff that matters so ya mind telling me what the hell is up with whatever the hell happened to me, and by me I mean you, in the food court?" Logan asked the moment Kitty and Rogue were past the door.

"I get mad, upset or freaked out and that happens. I don't know how bad it can get, but blowing up a house was bad enough for me."

To hear his own voice filled with the emotions of the girl he saw in every reflection, he just had to look back down at his borrowed hands with the kind of respect anyone would give a stick of dynamite. There was an arc as he thought back to the food court full of so many innocent people right down to the pukes oggling him and Rogue, and another few more as he thought about what Jubilee had just said she'd done.

"What happened?"

"Can't, sorry. I don't want to think about it. Please don't ask me Logan."

That she used his real name was a punch to his stomach, but it was worse to see himself there wiping at eyes that weren't used to crying. There had been a couple occasions, but most of them revolved around Rogue or Jean.

"So stayin' calm is the trick? Or just runnin' yer mouth and dressin' like ya ran over a shit load of Sesame Street?" Logan asked as he switched the subject, he had people to ask back at the school in his own time.

There was a laugh unlike his own and he saw the girl that hid behind his eyes actually smile down to him. A lot of the kids hadn't had it easy and just as many kept it tight to the chest, that was something he understood and could respect so he didn't go digging unless he had a good reason. As far as Jubilee here though, just maybe he'd go run down Scott for a few questions once they got back to the school.

"Yeah, getting freaked out is bad. Maybe go do some herbal with Ro sometime." Jubilee said with her smile turning a bit mischievous that didn't translate so well on his mug.

"Yer not talkin' about smokin' a joint are you?" Logan asked, just a shake of his own head telling she had tried to lead him into that assumption.

"Nah, just tea. Music and meditation, all the stuff she does daily to detox so we don't gotta worry about blizzards in July."

"It work?"

"Kinda, I took my own approach. Ya know, Valley Girl Zen. Bright colours, fun music, and just try and laugh off all the stupid stuff."

Spotting Kitty and Rogue heading out with their orders, he gave his own back a pat and nodded off to their missing members of their little shopping excursion. One thing him and the kid always agreed on was the House Burger, adding a few onion rings to just top it off and make it a thing of bliss. Half pound of beef, three kinds of cheese, mushrooms and bacon. In a word, delicious. He'd have his questions, but they could wait.

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	2. Chapter 2

Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made from this work.

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Rubbing her borrowed eyes and glaring at the clock beside her borrowed bed, Jubilee got up in an angry rush and gathered up her blanket and pillow before stalking out into the hall. It was a quarter past one and she had to be up for seven to get ready for class. Giving up on sleep, at least in Logan's room, she waved at Jones in passing as she stalked towards the garage being as it was the furthest thing away from the racket that was the dorms.

"Whaddya doin' up kid?"

_Snickt_. Her panic at being caught up at such a late hour was forgotten as she stared down to the very reason she had been afraid to sleep in her own room, that and the fact that it was just too weird to think about Logan sleeping in her bed even if she was at the wheel. Crying in shock and agony, she stared down at the claws that had just sliced through her arms.

"Just keep 'em where I can see 'em, just relax. That's it." Logan whispered with her borrowed voice.

Never thinking of her hands as small, Jubilee looked to see Logan massaging her forearms and slowly the claws sank beneath flesh with every bit of pain she imagined getting sliced open would feel like. Whimpering and crying until the pain stopped, it was repeated for the other arm until the deadly claws were sheathed. Led off to sit at the table, he pulled out a chair for her that she quickly took.

"Sorry, still getting used to...all this." Jubilee as Logan said quietly given the late hour, giving a wave of her borrowed body.

"Kids keeping ya up?" Logan asked, a weird echo hearing her own voice.

"Yeah, I mean the first night I think Doc Grey just slipped me some telepathic mojo. Guess maybe she didn't wanna go messing around too much with whatever the heck is going on."

"I hear ya, kinda weird when it ain't there. Ya get used to it, but sitting here starin' at my mug I gotta say I hope we don't have time ta get used to it." Logan replied, enjoying a sip of his club soda as just something that had a good clean bite in the stead of the beer he wanted.

Rubbing knuckles that weren't hers and still feeling the phantom pain of the claws running through her flesh, she got up for a look in the fridge. Settling back down with a can of cream soda, a snap and hiss had her enjoying her first sweet biting sip.

"Never knew it hurt that much, ya just make it look like nothing being the total badass you are. Ya know, snikt, snikt rawr." Jubilee whispered in the quiet hour, shadow boxing with fists that felt too big as she sat at the table.

"That's one thing ya don't get used to, ya just learn to expect it. Where the heck ya goin' anyway?" Logan asked softly with his borrowed voice.

"Garage, that sofa in there's a pull out. I know it's kinda your smoking room, but I figure it has gotta be quieter than up there." Jubilee said with a look to the bedding laying out in the hall.

"Smart. Well, here's to hoping we wake up as ourselves in the morning." Logan noted, raising his can of club soda in toast.

Clinking cans together, Jubilee sat there looking at herself feeling like it was a dream, one she wished she'd wake up from. Rubbing forearms that were just too muscular for her own, she shook her head of the thought that they were just there beneath the surface.

"Want me ta tuck ya in?" Logan asked, and his voice didn't have it's usual grating humour to it.

"How messed up is this huh?" Jubilee sputtered, laughing at the absurd situation and drying fresh tears from her eyes.

"Eh, between you me it's a bit of a learning experience for the both o' us. You girls ever have any pukes eyeing ya in a way ya don't like, you just call me. I'll send 'em packing." Logan promised her with a wink.

"Is that what did it? Some guys checking you and Roguey out in the food court?" Jubilee asked, smiling and laughing as she pictured Logan in her place.

"Yeah, yeah. Yuck it up, makes me a right fucking hypocrite I know. Might just have ta try and keep my eyes from wandering so much and be a bit more respectful now." Logan grumbled, slipping out of his chair and walking on up to her.

Letting herself be helped up, she noticed how careful he was around her hands. Yet something in her gut told her it wasn't because he was scared of himself, he was being careful for her sake. Gathering up her bedding, she wandered off and got to task getting the pullout set up. Leaving Logan to fluff her pillow, she curled up and then noticed just what he was wearing.

"Uh dude, I know we got off to a rocky start that involved a bit of showing skin. And I know I'm a member of the itty bitty titty committee, but a muscle shirt and no bra ain't something ya wanna be walking around the school with." Jubilee said as delicately as she could.

Laughing and losing it at the sight of how bright Logan was blushing, she could only picture that mug staring back at her in all the mirrors burning that red. Her tucking in turned a bit more violent as the pillow was slammed into her face, throwing it off to see Logan stalking off hugging her chest in an unexpected show of modesty.

"Night Wolvie." Jubilee called after him using his hated nickname.

Tucked in and flipped off, she was finally able to get some sleep, the garage had a smell that was oddly soothing to her and she wondered if that wasn't Logan shining through. It was quiet and peaceful and everything she needed.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Logan woke to see a ceiling that wasn't his. The bed wasn't his, the sheets weren't, and the body wasn't. Even the room didn't smell right. Rubbing eyes that weren't his, a look to the time had him roll out of bed in a slew of stretches and yawns. He just wanted to curl back up under the too soft blanket and go back to sleep, never in all his years had he woken up so tired and once again he wondered just what his uncanny healing had to do with it all.

"Normally I gotta drag Lee outta bed." Rogue said as the door to their shared bath was thrown open.

Dressed in just a robe, she ignored him and went about drying her hair at the vanity. This wasn't the Rogue he knew, this wasn't the girl who dressed up and hid all but her head. She had more skin on display than he was used to seeing.

"Showers all yours, Kitty and me swapped out all yer toiletries but between you me I'd say use some conditioner or Lee will whoop ya once she comes for the keys." Rogue said from the vanity without even looking his way.

Rubbing his borrowed eyes if only just to tear them off her legs still glistening from the shower, it was a side of her he wasn't used to. Stalking off to the bath and slamming the door, a new toothbrush was waiting for him by the sink right along with his usual toothpaste. His morning ritual was usually a shit, shave and a shower. Looking down to legs that weren't his, the notion of shaving was right out.

"Kid can go a little hairy till she comes for those keys." Logan as Jubilee muttered, still sporting smooth skin and wondering just hoping he wouldn't be around long enough for that argument.

One consideration that had been made was the shower brush, something he could use for all the places he didn't want his hands roving over. It was bad enough as it was, but he would feel every kind of a sick fuck for touching her in places he wasn't meant to. Cranking the spray hot and washing out the lather of the conditioner, he lingered there for a while just enjoying the heat easing into his borrowed muscles.

"What the hell!?" Logan growled as the door opened, a blast of cold air finding him.

"Sorry Sugah, gotta brush my teeth."

Glaring at her as she stood there with a smarmy smirk, he was doing his damnedest to hide cover himself without actually touching any place he shouldn't. Rogue just seemed encouraged by his actions, turning to brush her teeth with peeks had from the mirror.

"Ya havin' fun kid?" Logan snarled.

"All kinds, but this is actually normal for Lee and me. Ya got nothing I ain't seen before."

Cranking off the taps and snatching a bright orange towel that had to be Jubilee's, he wrapped himself up and stalked out into their shared room. Sitting down at the vanity as she had done, he started combing out hair that wasn't his. It was too soft and the fruity smell of the conditioner smelt nice. Looking at all the mysterious items neatly ordered beneath the mirror, he recognized lipstick and mascara but all the creams and everything else could be art supplies for all he knew.

"You can try some if ya like."

Wondering if how his damn heart would take all the surprises, it took a special person to catch him off guard. Looking at Rogue leaning up against the doorframe of the bathroom still dressed in her bathrobe, she looked meaningfully to the makeup.

"It'll be a cold day in hell." Logan muttered, snatching a softer brush and running it through his borrowed hair.

Light footsteps announced her, and he saw her reach for the brush without anything between them. Freezing stiff, he let her take it out of his hands that were too small and closed his eyes trying to quiet his hammering heart wondering if this was what it was like for everyone else. He always used his near invulnerability to bridge that gap between them, little touches that he didn't have to be afraid of. But after the mall yesterday, he knew fear like he hadn't since Liberty Island.

"Jubilee lets me brush her hair like this, no gloves, just trust. Started back when she broke her wrist, you remember that right?" Rogue asked, wandering down memory lane.

Joining her on that walk, he remembered that day from the distance, just watching Summers rush down to the sick bay with Jubilee in his arms. She'd been crying and swearing a blue streak after some stunt on her skateboard had gone wrong. Rubbing the wrist, it was easy to imagine wrapped up in a cast to the point she could barely use her fingers.

"Rings a bell." Logan muttered, coming off sullen for his borrowed voice.

"Her hair was longer back then, I think she's growing it out after her last cut. Hand me some hair clips hun."

They were easy to pick out which ones she meant, pinks and blues and yellow all in flowery colours. Watching her twist the hair and tie it off, she was just playing and he knew it because there was no way he'd walk out of the room looking like that, but just sitting there with a bit of terry cloth between them it helped bring back that bit of easiness between them he was already missing.

"Classic Lee, what do ya think?" Rogue asked as she finished clipping the last.

Looking at the girl he saw in the mirror, it didn't look anything like the Jubilee he knew. She looked fragile and delicate and rubbing her wrist that felt like a twig all he could remember was that day Scott had carried her in crying. She had cried last night, cried and whimpered and wailed as his claws sliced through his flesh, filling her with pain she wasn't meant to know.

Looking up at Rogue, she was even younger when she'd taken him in, had claws of bone tear instead of slice through her flesh. She hadn't cried, she had just been worried for him and the only tears that had come had been for all the eyes staring at her from the door.

"I think she looks a might pretty Darlin', ya did good. Ya won't be offended if I get ya to brush out her hair straight for me now will ya?" Logan asked.

She smiled at him and started to undo her handiwork, all as he sat there shaking off the strange stirring of feelings he felt hearing his words echoed in a voice sweet and delicate. The Jubilee he knew had a foul mouth that kept up with him, loud and abrasive and hard on the ears. Last night had been stranger still, never knowing there was just a girl under all that bravado.

"The kid trusts you, that right?" Logan asked with a nod to the mirror.

"Lee? Yeah, she does. A lot of them do, they know I'd never hurt them on purpose. The little touches, they're nice. Just enough to feel what they're feeling, get a few thoughts. I know just how much Bobby loves me, and that John is nursing a crush but he's just waiting in the wings. Pete, Kitty, you..."

"Lee?"

"No, we've never...you know. She trusts me not to, she told me about her first time..." Rogue whispered, trailing her fingers through the long locks of inky black hair too far to fret a touch.

Their talk over burgers came back and he remembered just how scared Jubilee had sounded, the memory feeling once again like a punch to the gut. But knowing that she had trusted Rogue enough to tell her about it was a point for her in his books, just telling of a friendship he had never understood. Toying with a tube of lipstick, an awful pink colour he remembered her wearing, he looked at the time and thought again how nice it was to have a bit of that easiness again between him at Rogue.

"Ya don't know what ya have till it's gone..." Logan whispered.

"What ya missing hun?"

"Lotta things, like the taste of a lager on my lips and a good smoke. I might regret this, but why don't ya doll me up respectful like. Kinda nice gettin' pampered." Logan confessed.

Her shock was something he'd always remember, right along with her light laughter and her smile. But then there was a softer smile as she spun him on the chair to face her, staring into her emerald eyes looking to be enjoying the moment as much as he was. He trusted her with a lot, she knew him in a way few did, so he didn't mind playing the fool for her.

"There have been a few things Lee wouldn't let me try, she does have her very weird palette that is uniquely her."

"Ain't that the truth."

Sharing a laugh and a smile with her, he left his fate in her hands with no gloves or anything else. If Lee trusted Rogue to never touch her, he'd play by house rules, all in.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-


End file.
